Inevitable
by IrishButSober
Summary: Rachel didn't think she'd ever be here, saying goodbye to Jesse like this, especially not this soon.  /Prom Queen Spoilers, but AU beyond that episode.


**_This sadly isn't my best work, I really tried to nail this, but I'm not a hundred percent happy with it, still, hopefully I'm just being paranoid and you guys like it._**

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><p>Rachel didn't think she'd ever be here, saying goodbye to Jesse like this, especially not this soon.<p>

Standing face to face in the middle of the airport, countless people rushing by them, but all were lost to the two young stars as they gazed at each other, knowing that this would indeed be the last time they saw each other for quite sometime. Neither spoke for a while, before Rachel finally broke the silence.

"I can't believe you're already going back..." She trailed off, her arms folded across her chest defensively, looking away slightly, her gaze lowered and trying to control everything she was feeling, having to say goodbye when they'd only just found some kind of peace between them and perhaps even the spark of something they'd once had.

"I wasn't planning on leaving like this, then again, I suppose with the position and wealth my family posses, it was only a matter of time before a few strings were pulled and I was allowed back into UCLA."

Even if she wasn't looking at him, she could hear the slight quiver in his tone as he tried so desperately to keep up his usual tone of superiority and ever so slight arrogance when it came to these kinds of matters. However, as Rachel looked back up at Jesse, his facial expression failed to cover his real feelings even more so than his voice did. He looked like he was in actual pain; his eyes that usually held the glint of mischief and amusement were looking fragile, almost wounded as they gazed into Rachel's own timid eyes. Swallowing a thick lump in his throat, Jesse was the one to break the eye contact, staring at the floor for a moment before he spoke up once again.

"I wish I had more time Rachel, I've been trying all this time to tell you how truly sorry I am, to show you; but I suppose I was never the type to apologise. I remember when I was younger I'd hire some of my fans at Carmel to apologise for me whenever I misbehaved."

Rachel found herself smiling at the statement despite the situation, knowing there was probably a lot of truth in that statement, despite its seemingly humorous nature. But soon the smile was gone and she was back to gazing at the young man before her, with so much to say and yet no real way of letting it out, they just didn't have enough time and they both knew it. He'd barely been back for two weeks and now he was already heading back and with no real guarantee of when she'd see him again, this really was a goodbye and one neither of them knew how to handle.

"I can't give you what you need Rachel."

The remark caught the star off-guard, her gaze snapping to meet Jesse's, unable to think of anything to say to that, just staring as the boy looked right at her, his gaze unwavering, ignoring everyone else around them as he took a step towards her slowly.

"I wasn't ready for you in my life Rachel. I was so used to being nothing but what everyone expected of me, leader of Vocal Adrenaline, the guy who would do anything to win and never look back. I wasn't ready to fall in love with you and because of it, you got hurt. I can't do that to you again" He said solemnly, a rare look of shame on his face, clearly reliving that day, the day Rachel had never forgotten about and, it seems, neither had Jesse. Letting out a heavy breath, Jesse took a step closer, closing in on Rachel, who continued to try and avoid his piercing gaze. "We've both lost ourselves over this past year, you can deny it all you want Rachel, but you're entirely you anymore, the girl with the ambition for bigger and better things, she's just about as lost as I am" He said, his voice blunt but not unkind and Rachel found herself unable to argue him, just continue to lower her gaze, tightening her hold on herself, as if trying to protect herself from what he was saying; because they both knew it to be true.

"But one day, when we're _both_ free from this place, when we've got nothing but our futures ahead of us and the world ready to watch us, I'll be that young fool in love again for you, the one who wants to make all your dreams come true." His words like a vow, a heaviness to them far beyond his young years.

There was something so bittersweet about his words, as last year, such a sentiment would have had Rachel over the moon and probably already thinking of the perfect ballad to reflect exactly what his words meant to her. But things were different now, she had been heartbroken so many times, that she couldn't help but feel a sinking sense of doubt in her stomach, as if it was just all too good to be true.

"That sounds too good to be true, like it's some kind of fantasy."

Jesse didn't look hurt by the comment as Rachel had expected, in fact, he actually chuckled lightly and moved in closer, hands gently finding her hips, her eyes looking up to meet his silver ones, unable to break away from his gaze.

"Don't you remember what I told you Rachel? Anything you set your mind to is never a fantasy..." He trailed off smoothly, a softness in his eyes that Rachel had only seen a few times; leaning down slightly as he gently pressed his lips against her forehead for just a moment, before pulling away slightly and breathing out his final words.

"...it's an inevitability."

Rachel found her throat tightening and leaving her speechless to his words, her mouth open ever so slightly, as if she was desperately trying to find a response and yet none ever came. Jesse just smiled softly at her, right hand slowly rising to her cheek, his palm cupping it gently, thumb stroking her skin for just a moment. As Rachel looked into Jesse's eyes, she saw no demand, no expectation for her to even say anything; all she saw was understanding, sincerity and the softest of smiles from the only boy who had really ever understood her, who had accepted her for who she really was.

"See you soon, Miss Rachel Berry." He whispered to her, hand lingering against her cheek for a few more moments, before it slowly slid away as he began to part from her, taking a few steps back, his eyes still on hers, before turning away, bag in hand and before Rachel even knew it, he was handing his ticket in and, after one final look over his shoulder, had disappeared through the gate and out of sight.

For a while, Rachel didn't move or even make a sound. She just stood there, watching the space that Jesse had been standing in moments ago. It wasn't until she finally started to walk away, that his words finally sank in and she felt the threat of tears building up in her eyes. It had been so easy to just peg as the bad guy, to hate him when he hadn't been here, that what they had was only been a lie, something to sweep under the rug and pretend like it had never happened. Not anymore. She had seen his regret, his vulnerability, she had heard his words and felt his love once again and for just a moment, and she remembered what it felt like, to have someone love you for everything that you were. To no longer have a boyfriend who called you crazy or only pretended to listen to her or care about what she liked. But Jesse had done so much more than remind her of why she loved him; he had reminded her of herself and realised just how far she had strayed. She had lost herself somewhere along the way, with all the heartbreak and drama and pain, she had somehow managed to forget who she was, who she was meant to be.

As she walked towards the airport's doors, she took one final look back and found herself smiling even through her soft, silent tears before slowly walking past the doors and into the warm, Summer evening. Jesse had given her a chance, to finally take control of her life again and realise the dreams she'd been thinking of ever since she was a little girl.

Maybe one day, once she had left the hallways of McKinley for good, when she was walking through Times Square with her dreams held close and her passions reaching for the skies, she would see a familiar face amongst the crowd; with curly hair and unmistakable eyes; and everything beyond that would just be, well, _inevitable_.


End file.
